Julie Anne Genter, a Member of Parliament in New Zealand, made headlines worldwide on Sunday for riding her bicycle to the hospital at 2 a.m. – all while she was in labour. 

An hour later, she announced the arrival of her baby girl. "At 3:04 a.m. [Sunday], we welcomed the newest member of our family," Genter said, posting photos of the early morning ride and her post-delivery recovery on Facebook.

While the MP hadn't planned on cycling – with her contractions about two to three minutes apart – she managed to power through on the road. Her contractions increased in intensity just 10 minutes after she had arrived at the hospital.

"Amazingly now we have a healthy, happy little one sleeping, as is her dad," she said.

In 2018, the MP also chose to ride her bicycle to the hospital, at 42 weeks pregnant, as she prepared to give birth to her first child. 

"Beautiful Sunday morning for a bike ride, to the hospital, for an induction to finally have this baby," she said back then, adding that she chose to cycle to the Auckland City Hospital because there just "wasn't enough room in the car".

However, the trip also put her in "the best possible mood," she said.

Genter has long been an advocate of cycling and serves as the transportation spokesperson for New Zealand's Green Party.

"Growing up in Los Angeles, Julie Anne saw how transport and urban design impacted the environment and influenced the lives of people within the city, from their health to their ability to access employment and education," the Greens website said.

Breaking stereotypes

New Zealand is known for leaders who not only use their political platform for their personal advocacies but who also break stereotypes of how women should navigate their career and family life.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, for example, shed light on life as a working mother when she took maternity leave while in office. When she was still  breastfeeding her child, she chose to participate in a UN meeting with her three-month-old baby close by.